This Poison Heart
A modern fairytale where magic takes root and darkness blooms
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This Poison Heart
Narrated by:
Jordan Cobb
Buy Now for $25.42
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Narrated by:
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Jordan Cobb
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By:
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Kalynn Bayron
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'Kalynn Bayron does more than re-write a fairy-tale ... She breaks it apart and rebuilds it into a wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after' – Brigid Kemmerer
'Brings much-needed inclusivity and contemporary flavor to the teen fantasy genre' – Kirkus Reviews
'A delicious mix of intoxicating fantasy and coming of age, steeped in Greek mythology and peppered with references to the Jordan Peele films Get Out and Us' – Observer New Review
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Ever since she can remember, Briseis has had power over plants. Flowers bloom in her footsteps and leaves turn to face her as though she were the sun. It’s a power she and her adoptive mothers have spent her whole life trying to hide. And then Briseis inherits an old house from her birth mother and suddenly finds herself with the space and privacy to test her powers for the first time.
But as Briseis starts to bring the house’s rambling garden back to life, she finds she has also inherited generations of secrets. A hidden altar to a dark goddess, a lineage of witches stretching back to ancient times, and a hidden garden overgrown with the most deadly poisonous plants on earth. And Briseis’s long-departed ancestors aren’t going to let her rest until she accepts her place as the keeper of the terrible power that lies at the heart of the Poison Garden.
Cinderella Is Dead author Kalynn Bayron brings a message of proud inclusivity to this empowering fantasy about a young woman finding the strength to challenge everything she has been told is true.
Don't miss the sequel, This Wicked Fate, where to save the people she loves, Briseis must change the most dangerous of fates ahead of her ...©2021 Kalynn Bayron (P)2021 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
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Critic Reviews
Mesmerising and beautiful
A delicious mix of intoxicating fantasy and coming of age, steeped in Greek mythology and peppered with references to the Jordan Peele films Get Out and Us
Brings much-needed inclusivity and contemporary flavor to the teen fantasy genre
This Poison Heart masterfully weaves a unique story grounded in the depths of Greek mythology and Black girlhood
A wholly original and captivating story where girls finally decide for themselves who lives happily ever after
Challenges patriarchy with kick-butt heroines and a counter-story that will forever change how readers perceive fairy tales
Ambitious, replacing the happily-ever-after with a tragic legacy and a defiant, feminist tone
Great book!
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The story was slow at first, but really picked up and the ending was especially good.
The narrator was exceptional.
Can't wait for the sequel!
Loved it.
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I really want more! Just keep publishing until there is nothing left to write one or about.
Flawless!
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The characters in the story are interesting enough with the relationship and dynamic of Briseis and her mothers being the focal point of the novel. What was more fascinating was the world and lore inbuilt within that was trickle fed to you throughout the novel. However it felt as though the book just abruptly ended with deus ex machina opening for the next book.
Numerous times I had suspicions and theories on what would happen and almost all the time I was right. Some might complain that it was little transparent with its plot beats but I enjoyed the journey nonetheless.
My feelings towards this entry might change with the coming books however the book managed to engage me but also disinterest me especially during the middle which felt like a slog.
I would’ve been perfectly content if the tone went into a slice of fantasy life with a new witch growing her powers or a sprawling epic focused on the history, mythology and burden of the poison gardeners. Instead it was a middle ground that didn’t quite scratch either itch.
The scenes with the poison garden and description of the plants were phenomenal and actually made me want to get out into the garden leaving the book behind. The villains of the book were shockingly transparent after one scene with the motivation’s being average at best.
I unfortunately couldn’t care less about it the romance as I am only reminded that the love interest was head over heels over a previous incarnation of the main character from 300 years ago.
Pros: I love the magic system and the history to establish and ground the powers in some form of reality.
Some of the best family relationship dynamics I’ve read in a long especially especially the “Be quiet” line.
Cons: Weak villains, slow plot, filler side plots.
An easy fantasy to sink your roots into
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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.